It’s Impossible Not To Love The Most Eccentric Town Near Pittsburgh

Life in the small community of Kecksburg, a little less than an hour from Pittsburgh, forever changed one December evening in 1965. A fireball streaked across parts of Canada and several U.S. states, including Pennsylvania. That fireball ended with a spectacular crash in Kecksburg, igniting a decades long mystery and celebration. It’s impossible not to love this eccentric town near Pittsburgh that has embraced its colorful history.

The Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) that soared through the North American sky, leaving some fires and loud booms in its wake, landed in a field in Kecksburg on December 9, 1965.

Witnesses tell stories of the U.S. Army quickly arriving in town to remove the mysterious UFO, ordering residents away from the crash site. Some claimed to have seen a tiny body on a gurney. The official story at the time, however, was a meteor had shot through the sky, landing in Kecksburg.

The mystery endured through the decades, even drawing the attention of the popular television show, Unsolved Mysteries, in 1990. Led by host Robert Stack, the crew rolled into town to tell of the UFO that had disappeared from Kecksburg as quickly as it had arrived.

Those who witnessed the crash landing of the UFO stated it had the shape of an acorn with writing, almost like hieroglyphics, on it. In an attempt to recreate the story, Unsolved Mysteries built a replica of the UFO as the witnesses had described it.

The show aired in 1990 and the space acorn was stored away, largely forgotten for nearly a decade. Then, in the early part of the 21st century, locals mounted the space acorn above the town and it immediately became a hit with residents and tourists.

Tourists pour into town to honor Keckie (the green alien seen above). The annual festival generally features speakers on topics related to UFOs, a parade, food and craft vendors, a cornhole tournament, and much more.